Page 256 - UAE Foreign Aid Report 2022

United Arab Emirates
256
Foreign Aid Report 2022

marked by pervasive crises and vulnerabilities, the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) once again rose to the
The UAE’s Strategic and occasion, actively contributing to global relief efforts.
Humanitarian Response to The UAE’s extensive initiatives during this tumultuous
period are epitomized by its commitment to aiding
Global COVID-19 Challenges
many nations in their battle against the pandemic.
The UAE, leveraging its advanced logistical
capabilities and robust infrastructure, managed to
efficiently navigate the logistical complexities of
global aid distribution, ensuring timely and effective
delivery of assistance to those in dire need.
The relentless surge of the COVID-19 pandemic
has brought about profound disruptions, leaving The aid, amounting to AED 3.07 billion (USD 835.5
an abrupt and lasting impact on people around million) over the span of three years from 2020 to
the globe, particularly the most vulnerable and 2022, has been aptly distributed to more than 130
impoverished communities. This global health countries, including a spectrum of 34 Least Developed
catastrophe has not only strained healthcare Countries (LDCs), 30 Small Island Developing States
systems to their breaking point but has also halted (SIDS), and 28 Landlocked Developing Countries
access to education, wrought economic havoc, (LLDCs). It is significant that nearly a third of the
deepening inequalities, and exacerbating the comprehensive aid was strategically allotted to the
plight of those already entrenched in precarious LDCs, reflecting a nuanced understanding of the
circumstances. The most vulnerable populations— disparate impacts of the pandemic and a targeted
residing in areas afflicted by poverty, conflict, and approach to alleviating the additional burdens
inadequate healthcare infrastructures—have found faced by these nations. The countries of Palestine,
themselves at the convergence of multifaceted Ethiopia, Syria, Comoros, Tunisia, and Mauritania
crises, grappling with heightened uncertainties and were pivotal
Feature
diminished access to essential services. recipients of the UAE’s encompassing support,
jointly receiving more than one-third of the total
Amidst navigating its own set of COVID-19 COVID-19 foreign aid extended during 2020-2022.
challenges, the UAE displayed exemplary resilience
and magnanimity, ensuring that its domestic A majority of the extensive aid, constituting nearly
undertakings did not overshadow its longstanding 90% or AED 2.72 billion (USD 740.2 million), was
commitment to extend a helping hand to those provided as bilateral assistance to governments,
beyond its frontiers. Cognizant of the fact that the ensuring that the support was tailored and
pandemic caused unprecedented challenges in a immediately responsive to the specific needs of the
wide array of sectors, the UAE’s COVID-19 related recipient nations. Additionally, AED 163.6 million
global efforts accordingly addressed multi-faceted (USD 44.6 million) was allocated through synergistic
needs. This foreign assistance consisted not only of partnerships with several United Nations entities,
emergency health responses and COVID-19 control, notably including contributions of AED 43.1 million
it also aimed to tackle disruptions in the education (USD 11.7 million) to the World Health Organization
sector, as well as preparing for future pandemics, (WHO) and AED 23.9 million (USD 6.5 million) to the
and economic recovery. World Food Programme (WFP). This collaborative
approach underpins the UAE’s acknowledgment
Between 2020-2022, amidst a global landscape of the importance of collective action and global
cooperation in addressing and overcoming such